DONATE TO ITALY PILGRIMAGE SCOUTING (VIA PAYPAL)
Dear Family and Friends,
Since 2011, it has been my (Rev. Dr. Laurel G. Coolbaugh) steady desire to develop and lead a pilgrimage for people to more deeply experience and worship God in Northern Italy. I’m excited that, through The Sanctuary at Woodville, it seems that this vision can now become a reality. I am writing this letter to ask you to prayerfully consider financially helping me seed this new opportunity.
Specifically, I plan to center these pilgrimages around two Sacro Monte sites (Sacred Mountain) in Northern Italy, along with stops in Florence and Milan. At the Sacro Monte UNESCO World Heritage sites, spiritual pilgrims will explore and encounter the living God through beautiful sacred chapels filled with frescoes and sculptures depicting scenes from the Bible. The two sites we would focus on are Varallo and Varese at the foothills of the Italian Alps near Milan. We would also interact with art in museums and cathedrals in Milan and Florence to enrich our experience.
I expect that these trips will be led by me along with other spiritual directors and an art docent. The art docent will serve to enrich our visual and spiritual experiences by revealing the nuances of the parGcular art forms. Spiritual directors will be available to personally aid pilgrims in listening to God and processing what they’re seeing/hearing from God.
Before we can offer these pilgrimages, a scouting trip is necessary to explore these places and experiences so we can best design a trip that is spiritually significant and logistically wise. We hope to take this iniGal trip in the spring of 2025. We intend to explore the area and develop plans for future pilgrimages that include meaningful group experiences and rich personal encounters with God through appropriately designed spiritual practices. In order to make this scouting trip possible, we hope to raise $10,000 by the end of 2024 to fund our scouting trip.
Your participation in this effort will allow The Sanctuary to launch a self-sustaining pilgrimage arm and increase our spiritual formation offerings. Our hope would be that we would offer this pilgrimage to Northern Italy in the next year or two and that those who help fund the scouting trip would be given priority on the first official Sanctuary-sponsored pilgrimage.
We appreciate your prayer support as much or more as your financial support of this effort. We are deeply grateful and humbled by your partnership (and will let you know of our progress). To learn more and donate, please click the PayPal "Buy Now" link below or mail a check with subject line “Pilgrimage Scouting” to PO Box 155, Woodville, MA 01784.
You are Christ’s Treasure,
Laurel
Since 2011, it has been my (Rev. Dr. Laurel G. Coolbaugh) steady desire to develop and lead a pilgrimage for people to more deeply experience and worship God in Northern Italy. I’m excited that, through The Sanctuary at Woodville, it seems that this vision can now become a reality. I am writing this letter to ask you to prayerfully consider financially helping me seed this new opportunity.
Specifically, I plan to center these pilgrimages around two Sacro Monte sites (Sacred Mountain) in Northern Italy, along with stops in Florence and Milan. At the Sacro Monte UNESCO World Heritage sites, spiritual pilgrims will explore and encounter the living God through beautiful sacred chapels filled with frescoes and sculptures depicting scenes from the Bible. The two sites we would focus on are Varallo and Varese at the foothills of the Italian Alps near Milan. We would also interact with art in museums and cathedrals in Milan and Florence to enrich our experience.
I expect that these trips will be led by me along with other spiritual directors and an art docent. The art docent will serve to enrich our visual and spiritual experiences by revealing the nuances of the parGcular art forms. Spiritual directors will be available to personally aid pilgrims in listening to God and processing what they’re seeing/hearing from God.
Before we can offer these pilgrimages, a scouting trip is necessary to explore these places and experiences so we can best design a trip that is spiritually significant and logistically wise. We hope to take this iniGal trip in the spring of 2025. We intend to explore the area and develop plans for future pilgrimages that include meaningful group experiences and rich personal encounters with God through appropriately designed spiritual practices. In order to make this scouting trip possible, we hope to raise $10,000 by the end of 2024 to fund our scouting trip.
Your participation in this effort will allow The Sanctuary to launch a self-sustaining pilgrimage arm and increase our spiritual formation offerings. Our hope would be that we would offer this pilgrimage to Northern Italy in the next year or two and that those who help fund the scouting trip would be given priority on the first official Sanctuary-sponsored pilgrimage.
We appreciate your prayer support as much or more as your financial support of this effort. We are deeply grateful and humbled by your partnership (and will let you know of our progress). To learn more and donate, please click the PayPal "Buy Now" link below or mail a check with subject line “Pilgrimage Scouting” to PO Box 155, Woodville, MA 01784.
You are Christ’s Treasure,
Laurel
The Sanctuary at Woodville presents
"Best Of Israel 10-Day Trip" in October 2025

We have all read scripture -- some many times. But imagine entering into the scripture! The Sanctuary at Woodville is pleased to offer our "Best Of Israel 10-Day Trip" on October 16-25, 2025!
Certainly our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was born in, resided in and ministered in Israel -- but SO much more Biblical history took place there!
We will see the "land flowing with milk and honey" (The Promised Land), the upper room of the Last Supper, visit Nazareth where Jesus grew up, set sail on the Sea of Galilee, eat in a tent like Abraham did, see Mount Carmel where Elijah battled the prophets of Baal, float in the Dead Sea, see the Jordan River, and so much more! With time each day to reflect on your own spiritual journey.
After consulting with those who have visited and much research, we have organized a customized trip for any age. The trip will cover a lot of ground, but still move at a slower, more comfortable pace to allow you to relish the experience! We have chosen October to visit as it is a month that remains pleasantly warm in Israel (yet not as hot as the summer) and there will be fewer crowds.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW TRIP ITINERARY
Certainly our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was born in, resided in and ministered in Israel -- but SO much more Biblical history took place there!
We will see the "land flowing with milk and honey" (The Promised Land), the upper room of the Last Supper, visit Nazareth where Jesus grew up, set sail on the Sea of Galilee, eat in a tent like Abraham did, see Mount Carmel where Elijah battled the prophets of Baal, float in the Dead Sea, see the Jordan River, and so much more! With time each day to reflect on your own spiritual journey.
After consulting with those who have visited and much research, we have organized a customized trip for any age. The trip will cover a lot of ground, but still move at a slower, more comfortable pace to allow you to relish the experience! We have chosen October to visit as it is a month that remains pleasantly warm in Israel (yet not as hot as the summer) and there will be fewer crowds.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW TRIP ITINERARY
The trip cost is $3,450* which includes round trip airfare from Boston, airport transfers, hotels, all breakfasts and dinners, tour busses (with WiFi and bottled waters included), entry fees, tips, and some lunches.
Deposit of $300 is due upon registration. Deposits can also be made in customized installments through the end of May 2024.
*If you wish to use personal frequent flyer miles on this trip, please inform us and we will adjust your cost. As airlines do not commit to fares until around 10 months prior, the total amount may go up or down slightly.
To keep costs lower, we are exploring options for a group fundraiser. More details to come.
Refunds: $265 of deposit refunded if notified by end of January 2025. If already paid in full, 95% of cost will be refunded if requested by end of January 2025. If requested by March 31st, 2025, 90% of cost will be refunded. If requested by June 30, 2025, 75% of cost will be refunded. If you are able to find someone to replace you on the trip, 100% of the cost will be refunded.
Deposit of $300 is due upon registration. Deposits can also be made in customized installments through the end of May 2024.
*If you wish to use personal frequent flyer miles on this trip, please inform us and we will adjust your cost. As airlines do not commit to fares until around 10 months prior, the total amount may go up or down slightly.
To keep costs lower, we are exploring options for a group fundraiser. More details to come.
Refunds: $265 of deposit refunded if notified by end of January 2025. If already paid in full, 95% of cost will be refunded if requested by end of January 2025. If requested by March 31st, 2025, 90% of cost will be refunded. If requested by June 30, 2025, 75% of cost will be refunded. If you are able to find someone to replace you on the trip, 100% of the cost will be refunded.
We will meet together as a group prior to our trip in the summer of 2025 to get acquainted, pray, go over our written trip guide with relevant daily scriptures and reflection questions, and to obtain other trip details.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore our Christian roots in a group setting!
This trip is limited to 30 people.
War note: in speaking to the tour company, the war of course had suspended trips, but they say other than the Gaza area life is normal in the rest of Israel and trips have resumed. We will review in early 2025 where things are at there. We only go if safe to do so. Even dispute the war we recommended trip insurance that will refund all costs in emergencies and cover medical emergencies. Without insurance your still refunded all but about $35 till the spring of 2025.
The Sanctuary network is over 40 churches and organization so people from various places will be on the trip. Before we go we will have a time to gather, meet each other and get vital trip information.
Refunds: $265 of deposit refunded if notified by end of January 2025. If already paid in full, 95% of cost will be refunded if requested by end of January 2025. If requested by March 31st, 2025, 90% of cost will be refunded. If requested by June 30, 2025, 75% of cost will be refunded. If you are able to find someone to replace you on the trip, 100% of the cost will be refunded.
Register below!
Payments can be made below via PayPal OR by check (make payable to "Sanctuary at Woodville" with memo line "Israel Trip") and mailed to P.O. Box 155, Woodville, MA 01784.